Ever go to do something only to accomplish nothing? Well, here's a little tale of myself and how my goal and the actual goal are not always aligned.

Friday afternoon, I got home to find a yellow sticky-note on my door from UPS. It said they had tried to deliver a package but I was not home to accept it. Duh, I was at work, just like the UPS guys.So, I called the number on the slip and asked that they please hold the package for me at the office so that I could pick it up that evening. They called me back saying I could pick up my package between 8 and 8:30 pm. Now, one thing you must understand about this bustling metropolis known as the Dallas-Ft.Worth area is that there are very very few UPS offices. There is exactly one east of a certain border, which includes suburbs that extend into neighboring counties. Plano (which is about the northern border of Dallas suburbs - I live there) is served by the same office that serves DeSoto (which is almost to the southern border of Dallas suburbs - valamelmeo lives there). The office is about a 45 minute drive from my house, and a full hour-and-a-half from work even with no traffic.My sister was coming over, so I told her to be over by 7:30 so we could get to the UPS office before it closed. We did get stuck in a little bit of traffic, and ended up getting there at precisely 8:30. I rushed up to the door to make sure they wouldn't close without me, and I saw a queue of folks filling the entire customer service area!I got in line, and we were bored. So I started playing with the equipment at the service counters. There were tape measures, rolly ball-bearing things for moving large packages, paper clips, and various other little amusements.Shortly after I became amused, I noticed that my antics were amusing some of the other customers. Hooray! An audience! I love an audience. Finally, it was my turn. I handed my slip to the employee, and he went to go check on it. Turned out it was still on the truck, and they had to wait until the truck was unloaded to pick it up. There were quite a few other people with a similar situation - it seems we were all waiting for different trucks to arrive with our packages. Finally (about 45 minutes after I arrived) packages began to flow into the office. Happy people were carting out computers, storage supplies, and random department-store items.So, I asked. "Did you find my package?"I received this answer:"Oh, yeah. Your package was accidentally put back on the processing belt.""OK, let me make sure I comprehend what you are saying. I drove an hour to get here, and waited an hour in this line, and I can't get my package tonight.""That's correct. Here's the number to call to complain."

I was a little pissed off, yes.

But as I looked back, I realized that I had, in fact, served a purpose by going. My antics kept people from getting upset due to boredom and waiting, and my misfortune was one that would make people feel a little less bitchy about their own situation. "Well, it took 3 hours, but at least I got my package, not like that one girl!"